The Joy of the Lord: How Can We Get It?
Lesson 3 -- Fruit of the Spirit
(Bite-sized Bible Course)

In Lesson 3 of our Fruit of the Spirit study, we tackle the joy of the Lord. The name says it all. True joy flows from one spring. It's the Lord.

But how do we find it? How do we experience true joy?

We'll look at that in a moment. But first, if you haven't completed the first two lessons in this series, go back and do these first. This study is meant to be completed in order. It follows the text in Galatians 5. You don't want to miss any context. So make sure to finish all lesson in this series.

And make sure to complete the quiz at the end of this lesson. As we'll see, testing is important to growth, not just in joy but also in knowledge.

Without further ado, let's jump into our lesson.

What Is the Joy of the Lord?

Let's start with a simple definition. Then we can work toward a more detailed answer.

The joy of the Lord isn't a shallow feeling. It's more than that. It's a deep gladness rooted in who God is, what He has done in Christ, and how the Spirit lives in His people.

But how do we tap into this joy? Let's look.

The Fruit of the Spirit Is the Joy of the Lord

Here's another important aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. Joy stands near the head of the fruit of the Spirit in similar fashion to love. It's because joy flows naturally out of God’s love and grace toward us (Galatians 5:22).

It's a delicious meal for those who know they belong to the Lord. For us as Christians, this joy holds true even when our circumstances change for the worse (Romans 5:1–5).

Just as with love, this joy isn't something we work up. It comes from the Lord Himself. It rests on His promises rather than our moods.

Both testaments in the Bible explain how we should interact with the joy of the Lord.

In the Old Testament, God’s people were often called to rejoice in Him because of His salvation and steadfast love (Psalm 32:11; Psalm 33:1; Psalm 63:5–7). In the New Testament, it's closely tied to the coming of Christ, the gift of the Spirit, and the hope of glory (Luke 2:10–11; Romans 14:17; 1 Peter 1:8–9).

The biblical summary of the joy of the Lord is simple. The believer’s strength is joy because it draws its life from God’s unchanging character (Nehemiah 8:10; Malachi 3:6). Let's take a detailed look at this topic from the Bible.

The Details of Joy in Scripture

Old Testament Joy

One of the clearest Old Testament statements about joy is in Nehemiah’s day. The people heard God’s Law and began to weep over their sin (Nehemiah 8:8–9). What their leaders told them next is very illuminating.

They told them not to grieve as if there were no hope. What should have been rejoicing was anything but. So they instructed them to go, eat, drink, and share with others. They told them to rejoice because “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

You see, their strength didn't come from weeping over sin. In fact, it was just the opposite. It came from understanding that the Lord is gracious and ready to forgive those who turn from their sin.

We also find that the Psalms are full of this kind of God-centered joy. David rejoices in the Lord’s salvation and calls the righteous to “be glad in the Lord and rejoice” (Psalm 32:11; see also Psalm 35:9).

He speaks of God filling his heart with more joy than when grain and new wine abound (Psalm 4:7). Psalm 16 shows joy flowing from God’s presence (Psalm 16:11). This joy is rooted in who God is. He is righteous, faithful, and near to those who fear Him (Psalm 5:11; Psalm 9:2; Psalm 21:6).

New Testament Joy

In the New Testament, Jesus Himself is the source and giver of true joy. The angel announced “good news of great joy” at His birth because a Savior had come (Luke 2:10–11). Jesus certainly followed through on that promise.

He told His disciples that He spoke His words with the fullest joy possible (John 15:11). As branches in the vine, they were to abide in Him and keep His commandments so that His own joy would be shared with them (John 15:5, 9–11).

This joy is available to us today as we live under Christ's lordship and rest in His love.

A Deeper Dive into Divine Joy

Let's look at more details from the Word of God to see what we can learn about the joy of the Lord.

The Joy of the Lord and Salvation

True joy begins when God opens our eyes to see the seriousness of our sin and the greatness of His salvation. But, as we've seen, this is only the beginning. There's so much joy to be had despite our sin.

David knew what it was to lose the felt joy of fellowship with God because of his sin. After his confession, he begged God to restore the joy of salvation through a willing spirit (Psalm 51:12). He did not ask for a lighthearted feeling. He begged for the joy that comes from knowing he was forgiven and upheld by God’s grace.

The prophets also tie joy to the Lord’s saving work. Isaiah speaks of people drawing water with joy from the wells of salvation and calling on the Lord’s name (Isaiah 12:2–6). He describes the redeemed returning to Zion with “everlasting joy” on their heads (Isaiah 35:10). Even when he looks ahead to judgment, he sees a remnant who rejoice in the Holy One of Israel because He has acted to save (Isaiah 61:10–11).

These ideas hold true in the New Testament as well. Salvation joy surrounds Jesus from the beginning. Mary rejoices in God her Savior (Luke 1:47). The angel announces joy at the birth of Christ because He is Savior, Christ, and Lord (Luke 2:10–11).

Later, Jesus tells His disciples to rejoice that their names are recorded in heaven rather than in their spiritual gifts or visible success (Luke 10:20). Peter echoes this sentiment later when he writes to believers who have not seen Christ yet still "greatly rejoice." This is because they are obtaining the salvation of their souls (1 Peter 1:3–9).

Joy is deeply tied to this assurance that we have been justified, adopted, and kept by God (Romans 5:1–2; Romans 8:14–17).

Joy in Sorrow and Trials

Does this mean that we will always have easy times? Does this show that we won't ever experience hardships in this life? Does this mean we'll be rich and successful because God has promised us joy?

Hardly.

The joy of the Lord is not the denial of pain but the presence of hope in the middle of it. The Old Testament saints knew what it was to rejoice in God when outward circumstances were dark.

Habakkuk looked at failing crops, empty stalls, and coming judgment. In all this, he still stated that he would rejoice in the Lord (Habakkuk 3:17–18). His joy rested in the Lord’s faithfulness, not in visible prosperity.

The New Testament makes this paradox even clearer. Jesus warned His disciples that they would weep and lament while the world rejoiced. Yet, He still promised that their sorrow would be turned into joy, like the labor pains of childbirth (John 16:20–22).

He assured them that no one would be able to take their joy away because of who assured it. Their joy was grounded in Jesus' death and resurrection and in their secure relationship with the Father (John 16:22–24).

In these cases, joy isn't the absence of tears. It's the confidence that Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33).

The apostles described the Christian life in similar terms. Paul wrote about being sad yet always rejoicing as he served Christ (2 Corinthians 6:10). He told the Romans that those who have peace with God through justification also rejoice in their sufferings. Why? Because God uses trials to produce endurance, character, and hope (Romans 5:1–5).

One of the most well-known passages on this subject is found in the letter that James wrote to the church. He calls believers to “consider it all joy” when they encounter various trials. He encourages them to remember that the testing of their faith produces endurance (James 1:2–4).

Peter writes to suffering Christians who still rejoice with inexpressible joy. Why? Because their inheritance is kept in heaven for them (1 Peter 1:6–9).

The joy of the Lord doesn't cancel our grief. It runs deeper than grief because it is anchored in Christ. There's no surer reason to find joy than that.

How Do We Walk in the Joy of the Lord?

So is this something we simply manufacture on our own? Do we make our own joy? Or is there more to this?

Here's the not-so-secret secret. Joy can only be had if we walk in step with the Spirit. If we do this, joy can grow. That's why it's part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–25).

How do we know this? Jesus ties joy directly to abiding in Him. We must remain in His word. We are to keep His commandments. Only by resting in His love will we find true joy (John 15:4–11).

As we draw near to Him in prayer, Scripture, and obedience, He shares His own joy with us. The more we know His heart, the more reasons we have to rejoice in Him.

Joy is also strengthened as we remember and rehearse the truths of the gospel. Paul urges believers to “rejoice in the Lord always." He then points them to prayer, thanksgiving, and disciplined thinking on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:4–8). Elsewhere, he writes that the essence of the Kingdom of God is joy (Romans 14:17).

As we focus on what God has done for us in Christ, something almost miraculous happens. Our hearts are drawn away from anxious fixation on changing circumstances. We begin to experience real joy.

That's not all. Joy often grows in community as we share in each other’s blessings and burdens. Paul speaks of finding joy in the progress and faith of other believers (Philippians 1:3–5, 25; 1 Thessalonians 2:19–20). He can even rejoice when he suffers, if it means the church is built up (Colossians 1:24).

When we encourage one another with Scripture, pray for each other, and serve together, we taste something absolutely delicious. We dine on the delicacies of the joy Christ has in His people.

So What Is True Joy, Really?

What is the joy of the Lord, then? It's not a thin smile pasted over a hard life. It isn't a veneer of happiness to hide our horror of difficult days.

It's the deep, Spirit-given gladness of those who are forgiven, adopted, and kept by a faithful Savior. This kind of joy isn't affected by tears and terrors. It's the very place where the Spirit works the hardest, and He will finish what He has started (Philippians 1:6).

Do you have that joy? If not, you can find it in Christ alone. Believe in Him and find true joy.

God bless.

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